Requiem of the Fallen Kings
by Re-Rei
Summary: Everything in the world has its opposite. Charles knew this fact very well. He knew that even the best man had evil within him. But what he didn't know was how easy it really was to fall into darkness.
1. Chapter 1

Writer's missing...again. To all who are reading my other stories...I'm sorry. I truly am sorry.

Next update for those stories will probably be sometime next week. I'm going on a trip tomorrow. It's going to be for about 4 days at least, a week at most. It depends on how much fun my family and I have. Bringing laptops is a big no-no according to my mom so no updates...Yeah, sorry about that.

Okay, so I've been looking around and I see all these stories about Shaw taking Charles and trying to turn him evil (Star Wars much?). I was like, this is such an awesoovy (Haha! I didn't use awesome!) idea.

So here's my take on it. This story will probably not be updated as often as my other stories just because they're more important to finish right now.

**Warning!**: This chapter doesn't feature much of it. But there will be references to what the Jews were forced to do in the concentration camps. Again, this chapter barely has any of this stuff but some chapters will feature a lot of it.

**Warning 2!**: English is not my second language okay? I just started learning English about a year ago. I just want to let you know there is probably going to be some grammatical errors in the story. So yeah.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. The characters from X-Men First Class belong to Marvel Comics.

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><p><em>Fear not the flame of my love's candle <em>  
><em>Let it be the sun in your world of darkness <em>  
><em>Give unto me all that frightens you <em>  
><em>I'll have your nightmares for you <em>  
><em>If you sleep soundly <em>

**_Give unto Me_**_ by_ **Evanescence**

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><p><strong>Requiem of the Fallen Kings Ch. 1: Ghosts<strong>

Charles walked through the halls of his mansion. It was very late at night but he had no intentions of falling asleep. There were a lot of thoughts that were plaguing his mind and with no signs of them letting up, sleep was out of his reach.

Not only that, the occupants of his mansion were screaming at him with their thoughts. All of them were suffering from nightmares. He did his best to calm them down. He sent a comforting wave in their direction and hoped it would be enough to relieve them of their torment.

Slowly, their minds began to calm down. One by one, he lulled them into peaceful dreams. But one stayed writhing painfully in his nightmare.

Erik.

Charles knew very well of the torture his friend had endured because of Shaw. When he first connected with Erik's mind, he had accidentally delved far deeper than what was necessary. In an instant his mind was assaulted with a barrage of emotions, thoughts and horrible memories. It was painful to deal with the such a sudden invasion but he managed to negate its effects long enough for him to save Erik.

Now, Erik needed saving again, though this time it was not from Death's wicked grip but from a nightmare. Erik was in obvious need of something stronger that the temporary feelings of solace. But he couldn't do much else to help his friend other than send pulses of comfort because of the distance between them.

His decision made, Charles began to length his strides and quicken his pace until he was flat-out running. It didn't take him very long to reach his destination.

He carefully opened Erik's bedroom door and stepped into the dark room. Even with the low light, he still saw the thrashing figure on the bed. Charles cringed at the sheer aura Erik was emitting. It was filled with so much pain and agony. He paused and summoned his mental walls to defend against Erik's unintentional army.

He knelt beside the bed and tried to place his fingers on Erik's temples but he couldn't due to the fact that his friend moved away every time. Feeling slight guilt, Charles connected with Erik's mind and froze him.

He was hesitant to establish such a deep connection between them. He had connected with minds before to help relieve people of their nightmares, but he had never dealt with a nightmare as strong as Erik's. Charles wasn't that worried about himself, he was more worried about Erik. Since he was the one with the telepathic powers, he had a better chance of protecting himself from whatever issues the connection might bring up. Erik however, did not posses any powers of that sort.

If he did anything wrong, Erik would surely suffer the consequences.

But it was the only way to rid Erik of his demons, even it for a night. He closed his eyes and amplified the connection he already had with Erik. He steered clear of Erik's memories and rushed straight for his nightmare.

Once in the nightmare, Charles a wave of dizziness washed over him. He never entered a dream or nightmare before, at least not to the extent of actually becoming a part of it. When he shook himself of his disorientation, he searched for friend.

He walked through the muddy grounds of the world he entered. It was raining heavily making the ground even harder to walk on. He only marched for about a couple minutes before he came across a big metal gate. It was twisted and distorted, almost as if a bunch of kids thought it was nice to beat it up with bats. He placed a hand against the rusted metal, he knew exactly how important this gate was to Erik.

Above him, a couple words were engraved into the iron gate.

_ARBEIT MACHT FREI_

Charles didn't know German but he still felt the power behind the words.

"Charles?" Charles turned around to face Erik, "Is that...really you?" He stared at the telepath with disbelief and surprise.

"Yes, it's me my friend."

"That can't be, you're supposed to be dead." Erik responded, slowly backing up.

"_Dead_, Erik? How can I be dead if I'm standing right in front of you."

"No, this is just another trick."

"I assure you that I am real. This is no trick Erik, I really am alive."

"I saw you. I saw your dead body right in front of my eyes!"

"You're having a nightmare, my death wasn't real. I'm _alive_! Wake up my friend. _Wake up._"

"Get the hell out of my head Shaw!" Erik roared as he charged forwards and grasped Charles' neck, hoisting the smaller man up in the air. Charles' hands flew to Erik's on instinct. He tried in vain to pry it off. He could feel his air supply slowly being cut off as the hand tightened. His focus faltered as black spots danced across his vision. Charles panicked, this was exactly what he did _not_ want to happen.

His control over his power was slipping just as his hold on consciousness was. Charles gathered up all his remaining strength and fired a mental bolt at Erik.

The result was instantaneous.

Erik was flung backwards, letting go of Charles in the process. Charles collapsed to the ground, gasping and wheezing. He rubbed his neck and stood up. He was a bit wobbly at first but he regained his balance.

"My friend, I'm sorry. Please forgive me." Charles said as he ran towards Erik's convulsing body. Erik didn't say anything in reply as he grabbed Charles' arm, eyes blazing with rage.

"I told you Shaw. Get. Out. Of. My. Head!" Just before Erik's fist connected with his face, Charles managed to pull himself out of the nightmare. Safely out of harm's range, Charles let out the breath he was holding.

That was close, _too_ close. If Erik's fist had hit him...Charles didn't even want to think about what might have happened.

He curled his lips in thought, going into Erik's nightmare again was something he did not want to do again. Now he had to think of another way to help Erik.

_'Maybe I could send him another comfort wave, the connection is stronger so maybe it will work this time.'_ He thought as he geared himself up for what he was about to do. He concentrated and sent out a wave of comfort, the strongest one yet, and waited patiently for the result.

What he didn't expect was Erik to block the wave and send it crashing back to him.

Charles wasn't really affected by the wave, he was the one who made it after-all, but the feeling of Erik shutting him out hurt him very much. Just the idea of being completely cut off from his friend...

He pushed the thought away violently. Right now, Erik was important.

After a long moment of deliberation, he finally had another plan. This time, instead of trying to help Erik get through his nightmare, he was going to take it away. He had done this sort of thing before but with thoughts. It was risky but it was the safest thing to do out of all the other things he had thought of.

Charles reached out to the nightmare and brushed the surface. Almost immediately, he felt Erik resist him but Charles didn't stop reaching out to him. After a few seconds, he pulled himself out of Erik's mind, towing the nightmare with him. Charles snapped their mental connection and opened his eyes.

He found two green orbs staring right at him.

"Err...hello?"

Charles didn't even last two seconds before Erik kicked him out of the room. He winced at the sound of the door slamming shut behind him. He sighed and took one last fleeting glance at the closed door before leaving. He made his way towards the kitchen and brewed himself a cup of tea.

Sipping his tea, Charles allowed himself to get lost in the nightmare he took from Erik.

**_Smoke._**

**_Fire._**

**_Screams._**

_A young Erik looked away from the pit before him. Herr Doktor clasped his shoulder and forced him to look back at the fiery flames. Young Erik protested with all his might but Herr Doktor was much too strong._

_"This is where you'll work for the time being Erik." Herr Doktor told him with an emotionless voice, "Welcome to the crematorium - Oh look, your first one already."_

_Young Erik fearfully turned around and gasped at the sight of the dead body of an adult male. His skin was pale and marred with wounds all in various stages of healing, the most prominent one being the large 'X' on the man's chest. But what scared Young Erik the most were his azure eyes. Open and absent of life._

**_Dead._**

_"Well Erik? What are you waiting for?"_

_He shook his head and choked back a sob. He wouldn't do it, he **couldn't** do it._

_Herr Doktor sighed. He shoved the dead man's body into Young Erik's arms and stepped aside, revealing a fourteen year-old boy behind him._

_"Erik meet Lukas. Lukas, Erik." He said offhandedly, already pressing a gun to Lukas' temple. _

_Young Erik took a step back and dropped the body he was holding. It made a terrible noise as it slumped to the ground much like a pile of meat would. Images of his mother's bleeding body resurfaced in his mind._

_"What's it going to be? The body of a dead man or the body of a live young boy?"_

_A body fell into the fire._

_Never shall he forget the smell of burning flesh._

_Never shall he forget those eyes._

Charles inhaled sharply, breaking out of his reverie. He clutched his head and locked the nightmare away deep inside his mind.

There was no way he was sleeping now.

He dumped his cold tea in the sink and left to find his piano room. Playing the piano always helped pass the time and it put his mind at ease. It was exactly what he needed after seeing what he just saw.

He locked the door behind him and approached his piano. He sat on the wooden bench and curled his fingers over a couple keys. Closing his eyes, he struck the keys and a melodious chord resounded throughout the room.

Soon his fingers were flying over the keys, the notes striking deep into his soul. He hummed along with the song that was forming.

Minutes passed - but to him it felt like an eternity - and his song was done.

He was about to play another one when a dark chord came from the piano. His eyes widened in fear as he looked to his left.

Shaw.

He saw no more.

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><p><em>ARBEIT MACHT FREI - <em>Work makes you free/ Work liberates

These words were put on almost every concentration camp gate. The most infamous being the words written on the gate leading to Auschwitz I.

So there you have it. Chapter 1.


	2. Chapter 2

Still stuck on writer's block.

This story is going to be full of psychological torture and stuff like that. I just felt the need to warn you guys...

Kayla - Oh my, you really think so? Thanks so much! I'm so glad that you picked up on the reference. You are so PERAWESOOVY!

Okay, so I have I.E. here 'cuz Writer is missing.

I.E: Hello. I believe that we have not been properly introduced yet. My name is Inner Editor but I.E. is fine. I am the psyche-persona that is in charge of editing.

Could you be any more formal?

I.E: Shut up before I destroy you.

...Jerk.

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><p><em>Something's missing<br>And I don't know how to fix it  
>something's missing<br>And I don't know what it is  
>At all<em>

_**Something's missing**_ _by_ **John Mayer**

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><p><strong>Requiem of the Fallen Kings Ch. 2: Whispers<strong>

Raven whistled merrily as she went to visit to her brother. Last night, she had one of the worst nightmares in the history of nightmares. But then for some reason, the nightmare went away and she fell into a blissful dream. She knew exactly who did it and what the person did.

_'Oh Charles...'_

Charles always dismissed it as something that didn't require much energy but Raven knew otherwise. Calming down a nightmare took a lot out of the young man.

She sighed, she really did need to find a way to help Charles with his self-sacrificing complex. He could turn into the stubbornest man on Earth if he wanted to. He wouldn't stop working until he had to.

She rolled her eyes when she thought about all the times she found him passed out at his desk. Every time, his eye twitched as if he were still fighting the sleep he fell into. He worried her to death whenever he did that but he always insisted that he was fine.

_'Little brothers, what else would you expect from them?'_

She glanced down at the tray in her hands and smiled when she found that the pancakes were still hot. Charles adored pancakes and it was the least she could.

Opening the door with her elbow, she entered the room and called out, "Oh Charles~. I have pancakes!"

In three seconds Charles would be up and ready.

_3..._

She planted her feet a bit more firmly on the floor.

_2..._

Raven braced herself for the impact.

_1..._

'I hope I don't fall like last time.'

_..._

...

...

Raven opened her eyes and looked around the room in confusion. Charles wasn't there. In fact, it looked as if he hadn't even entered the room in a long time.

She went to his study.

He wasn't there either.

The library.

Nothing.

The courtyard.

Nothing.

The kitchen.

Yet again, _nothing_.

She huffed and placed the tray angrily on the kitchen counter. She spent the whole morning preparing his favourite breakfast and he was nowhere to be found.

It was then that Erik entered the kitchen.

"Hey, do you know where Charles is?" She asked looking up from the quickly cooling pancakes.

Erik shrugged, "Don't know, don't care."

***~***.***~***

***~***~Requiem of the Fallen Kings~***~***

*****~***.***~*****

Pain.

That was all he felt when he drifted into consciousness. His forehead felt like it was going to - no scratch that - it felt like it _was_split in two. He gingerly touched the side of his head. He hissed when he felt immense pain at the contact and retracted his hand. He was wounded but...when did that happen? Against his better judgement, he opened his eyes.

And he was promptly blinded by some very bright lights.

He groaned and closed his eyes but the intense glare of the lights still pierced his eyelids. If only the lights were off...

As if answered by an angel, the lights dimmed. His eyes fluttered open and he blinked a few times to let his eyes adjust.

"Good, you're awake."

The voice cut through his haze. He lifted his head as best as he could and searched for the source of the voice. His gaze finally landed on the strange looking blob to his left.

Blob?

_Wait_, that couldn't be right.

He squinted and sure enough the fuzzy blob began to come into focus. He could make out the features of a middle aged-man. The man had dark brown hair which was covered with a funny looking grey helmet. He also had grey eyes that looked kind at first glance but upon deeper examination, one could see something lurking beneath them. He couldn't exactly pinpoint what that something was. The man looked familiar, the emotion he felt towards the man could only be described as...malice? No, it was more like...anger. Yes, anger.

But _why_?

"Who...?" He asked, voice barely above a whisper. His mouth was so dry. So thirsty.

"Ah, you must still be a little dizzy. I can understand. I'm sorry, I suppose I used a little too much strength when I hit you. Water?" The man responded, handing him a flask of water. He graciously accepted the water, though not without slight hesitation. What the man said struck him as...odd. Hit me? Was that why his head hurt? Was it an accident?

There it is again.

Anger.

Wh-

Everything came back to him at once. Walking through the halls, taking away Erik's nightmare, playing the piano and then darkness. No, wait. There was something before that. Something _important_.

A man.

Yes, that's right. A man. He saw a man right before he blacked out.

Shaw.

He froze just as he was about to drink the water and threw the flask across the room violently. For all he knew, it could have been poisoned. Everything made sense now. This man was Sebastian Shaw. This man was the one who tortured his friend. This man...was the same man who kidnapped him.

He bolted straight up from what he assumed to be a bed and glared at Shaw. But his glare fell the instant the nausea began to settle in. He hunched over and clutched his stomach. He screwed his eyes shut tightly and placed a hand to his mouth.

_'Don't throw up. Don't throw up. Don't throw up.'_

But his stomach had other plans.

Shaw gave him a bucket, barely making it in time as Charles threw up everything he had in his stomach. Once he was done, Charles lied back down on the bed, exhausted.

"Thanks..." He said quietly as he turned away slightly ashamed. He was _thanking_a borderline psychopath of all people.

Shaw stared at him with amusement but said nothing as he exited the room with the bucket.

Charles took this chance to take in his surroundings. It was a big room - even to him - but it was scarcely furnished. There was a bed, two chairs, a piano and a bookshelf but nothing more. However, there was one fact that grabbed his attention. All the walls and the ceiling and even the floor were covered with mirrors. Not one spot was left bare.

It was obviously not his home or anywhere that he recognized.

Panic started to grip his heart. _'What's going on? Why am I here? Where **is** here exactly?'_Questions buzzed around in his head as he tried to figure out what exactly was happening. But he only gained more questions and no answers.

_'There has to be a way to get into Shaw's head...Wait.'_

He had telepathic powers. Of course he could get into Shaw's head. He placed two fingers on his temple and concentrated.

Silence.

His eyes widened, he couldn't hear anything. There were no thoughts, no emotions, not even the gentle buzz of the minds of other beings. Just his own thoughts. Ever since he discovered his powers, he had been wishing for silence since telepathy never stops working. But now...

_'No, don't give up. Keep trying!'_

He was about to raise his fingers when he heard the door open.

"Don't waste your energy Charles." Shaw chided as came back into the room with another flask. But despite his brain screaming at him for to take take the flask and drink the water, he refused. Nothing the man did could be trusted, he knew that much from Erik's memories. Shaw chuckled gently and set the flask down on the foot of the bed.

"What did you do to me?" Charles asked. Shaw smiled and gestured to his helmet, "I believe you have misunderstood. I did absolutely nothing to you. See this helmet? It protects me from your powers. Oh and the room is surrounded by mirrors. Who knew that mirrors were all one needs to stop a telepath _cold_?"

The Englishman donned a passive expression in response. He refused to allow Shaw the satisfaction of seeing fear. But on the inside he was very close to having a break down. He was injured and powerless _and_ he was in the presence of a very _dangerous_man.

Not exactly the odds he would have liked to have.

"Now, let's have a little talk shall we?" Shaw said as he flashed Charles another mocking smile. "I've been meaning to meet you for some time now."

"Really now?" Charles answered evenly, "I get hit over the head just so you can meet me. Next time, maybe try calling me so we can discuss this like civilized men."

"I assure you Charles-," then Shaw's expression darkened, "-that there's a perfectly good reason why we're meeting under these...circumstances if you will.

Charles felt a bead of sweet run down the side of his face. Whatever Shaw's _'good'_ reason was, it was definitely going to be something he would not enjoy.

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><p>I just noticed that the initials of my title are ROTFK. Transformers much? XDDD. I didn't notice until now.<p>

Je suis stupide. Je n'ai jamais été génial. :(

I.E: Non, non, mon amie. C'est faux! Et autant que je suis concerné, tu es très génial!

I.E...Merci.

I.E: De rien. C'est ce que les amis sont des.

Dans les bons moments et les mauvais moments~!

I.E: Alright. Okay. I get it. Stop before we burst into a musical.

Je ne comprends pas. Je suis française.

I.E: Shut up.

Je te déteste.


	3. Chapter 3

**Warning! **Near the end, there is some blood/gore. But not that much.

Lo: Thank-you so much! I'm really glad that you're liking my little ff.

Kari: D'aww thanks! You're so awesoovy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. I claim no ownership of the poem "Strange Fruit" by Abel Meeropol.

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><p><em>I am just a man <em>

_Not superhuman _

_I'm not superhuman _

_Someone save me from the hate _

**_Hero _**_by_** Skillet**

* * *

><p><strong>Requiem of the Fallen Kings Ch. 3: Shock<strong>

'_Calm your mind.' _Charles thought to himself as he stared down Shaw. All his life he had relied on his telepathic powers to find out what he needed to know. Never had he had to read expressions, actions or the little habits that gave away information. And with his powers practically useless…

To be honest, he felt like a lab rat with a mad scientist hovering over him, just waiting to dissect him with a scalpel.

"So you're reason, do you mind telling me exactly what it is?" Charles asked with more confidence than he actually felt. He knew that his façade wasn't going to hold for long. Not when confusion, panic, anger and terror were gnawing at his soul. Just inching their way through his mental barriers.

"I was quite disappointed when you weren't there during my _visit_ to the CIA facility." Shaw said casually, completely disregarding his question.

"How so?" Charles asked. He tried to hide the slight shake in his voice but a smirk from Shaw told him that he was caught.

"We mutants have to _stick_ together right? I wanted to meet _all_ of your little mutant team." Charles visibly stiffened.

"So this is what this is all about." He stated, his voice laced with anger. "You can't coerce them into joining you by kidnapping me."

Shaw gave him a wicked smirk, "Oh Charles, who said that this was about them?" Charles felt his blood run cold. Shaw's words echoed in his head as their horrifying meaning sunk in.

'_Who said that this was about them?'_

"The main point of my attack was to meet you. After-all, Emma does not hold just _any _telepath in high regard." Shaw moved closer and Charles - with his options as limited as they were - could only scoot back in response. "H-High regard?" He mentally cursed himself for stuttering. _'Calm your mind.'_

"Yes, Emma told me how powerful your mind was. And that was from a mere brush. Think about how much power you have hidden-" Shaw tapped the smaller man's forehead and Charles couldn't stop the shudder as he felt the cold touch, "-in here."

'_Calmcalmcalm.'_

"Raw, untrained power. Just waiting to be trained. To be released." The energy manipulator continued, not even bothering to hide his glee. The words rolled off his tongue like fine poison, just waiting to corrupt the telepath. Charles forced himself to take deep, even breaths to calm his growing panic. He narrowed his eyes in disgust, "I will never join you."

Shaw let out a brief laugh, "I expected as much."

"_What?_" Came Charles' confused reply. He felt an underlying message beneath Shaw's simple words but he couldn't quite determine what it was._ 'What did Shaw mean by that? What's going to happen to me now?'_

"It's nothing. I just thought that at least you would _try_ to see things my way." Shaw was testing him now. Charles could feel his eyes boring into his own. Examining him, sizing him up, trying to see if he was as good as he thought he was.

This was all a test.

Charles steeled his expression and said, "If I do try seeing things your way, will you let me go?"

Shaw smiled and extended his hand, "Of course. I'll even take you back to your mansion." "And how do I know you'll keep your end of the bargain?" Charles asked. _'Making a deal with the enemy. How wonderful.' _He thought bitterly as he stared at the hand.

"I may be your enemy, but I am a man of my word." Somehow, Charles knew he was telling the truth. With each cruel word that spilled out of Shaw's mouth, a sense of foreboding settled deep within Charles' soul.

'_This isn't going to end well.'_

He clasped the open hand in his own. The deal was sealed.

"Good, let's get started."

'_Calm your mind.'_

Shaw helped Charles out of the bed and walked towards the door, acting like a human crutch for the disorientated Englishman. Charles was hating every second of it. He couldn't walk on his own, his migraine made sure of that, and walking with Shaw felt like he was walking with the devil.

'_This will be over soon. Just stay strong. You'll be home in no time.'_

They exited the mirror room - prison in Charles' mind - and went outside. Though the mirrors weren't there to block his powers anymore, Charles still couldn't hear anything but his own thoughts.

"Look around you Charles." Shaw said as they stopped their journey to the outside world.

He scanned the barren landscape. The dirt was dry and lifeless. Twisted, dead trees dotted the area. The air was heavy with dust that choked him every time he took a breath. He nearly gagged when a smoky, musty smell filled his nostrils. It was a smell that was so familiar and yet so foreign at the same time.

It was the same smell from Erik's nightmare.

Burning flesh.

That was when Charles noticed there was something hanging in the trees. He squinted and focused on the object in the distance. _'What is that?'_ He took three shaky steps forwards before he finally saw what the object was.

'_Oh God, no…'_

His knees buckled and Shaw didn't do anything as he collapsed on the ground. He hit the ground with a resounding thud and dust flew up into the air as his head touched the dirt. His head throbbed painfully but it was nothing compared to the pain in his heart. He felt a tear run down his cheek. He had seen the object before when he was a child. He closed his eyes as memories from his past resurfaced.

'_Mother…'_

Even now, he could still see his Mother's broken body. Her happy, dead eyes boring into his own as she swayed back and forth… No, not now. He had to…had to…focus. _Focus._

"Look at what the humans have done to your brethren."

How could anyone…?

Southern trees bear a strange fruit,

Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,

Black body swinging in the Southern breeze,

Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.

" Can you hear them crying?" Shaw said in an almost sombre tone as he stood behind Charles, arms clasped behind his back. "Can you fell their pain?" He knelt down and forced Charles to look at the hanging bodies once more. He knew immediately that the bodies were mutants. Even the ones without physical mutations to identify by, he knew. No one was spared. Not even the elderly nor the innocent children.

"The Land of the Monsters." Shaw told him. Charles choked back a sob as he clutched his head. He tried in vain to wipe the images from his memory but they were permanently burned in his mind.

Pastoral scene of the gallant South

The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth,

Scent of magnolia sweet and fresh,

And the sudden smell of burning flesh!

Their blank expressions stared at him with almost accusing eyes. Some were heavily charred, _burned_ to death. Others were rotting, the foul stench reached his nostrils and he nearly vomited. Scarlet blood ran down their necks from the nooses that so mercilessly sealed their fates.

"You can help you know." Shaw mocked, his evil presence radiating off of him in waves. "Why don't you?"

"I do help them." Charles answered through gritted teeth. He felt his anger rise with each word that Shaw spoke. His hands fell away from his head and he clenched them tightly into fists.

'_Calm your mind.'_

"How? By trying to help their killers? The _humans_?" The vile tone of Shaw's voice was something Charles was starting to detest.

"We can save our kind from their pain _without_ the violence that you are so keen to bring upon the humans. Besides, it's not fair. The humans won't have a chance to…" Charles began but trailed off, utterly disgusted at himself for even thinking such a thing.

"Won't have a what, Charles? A chance to fight back? Is that it?" A low, cold voice hissed into his ear sending shivers up his spine. "Do you think that _they_-" Shaw gestured to the hanging bodies, "-had a chance to fight back?"

"No, that's not what I…no…no…

"We're the superior ones. If anything, it's a good thing that the humans can't to fight back."

"Stop…please…stop…"

"It just make it easier to wipe them out."

"…Please, just…I want to go home." He hated it. He hated how weak and broken he sounded. He hated how he had to beg to his enemy. He hated how useless and…_defeated_ he felt.

He hated it all.

Here is a fruit for the crows to pluck,

For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck,

For the sun to rot, for a tree to drop,

Here is a strange and bitter crop.

Shaw scoffed before walking away, leaving him the ground.

Charles felt like he was ten again. He was the child once more, the one that had wandered through the halls of his own home, terrified of everything that dared to move. The same one that had found his Mother's dead body that one fateful day…

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't realize that he had been teleported back home until a loud blaring sound filled his ears. Suddenly, the graveyard-like silence he once heard turned into the sounds of a bustling city.

He blinked, still disoriented from the sudden transport.

BAMF

He looked up just in time to see the red and black wisps of smoke that would only appear from a certain teleporter. _'So he kept his word after-all.'_

Though all he wanted to do was to just lie down and die he knew he couldn't. He had to get back home, back to his team. He couldn't abandon them. Not when they depended on him and he in turn, depended on them.

He had to go back…for them.

With his mission set, he pushed himself off the ground and stood up. He waited until the world stopped spinning before he walked out of the alley he was so unceremoniously dumped in. He merged with the crowd of people with practiced ease and before long, he found himself at the gates of his manor.

He pressed the button and spoke into the intercom, "Hello? Anyone? It's me, Charles. Charles Xavier."

Bzzt

::Charles? Wait, I'll open the gates::

The gates opened smoothly and widely and once he passed through them he was instantly tackled to the ground. He let out a small 'oof' before sighing.

"Raven…" He said softly. Raven glared at him and huffed, "You idiot! You had me so worried, I've been looking for you all day!"

"I'm sorry, I was just taking…a walk."

Raven picked up on the sad tone in his voice and nodded. Though Charles was sure that Raven didn't believe him. She took in his dishevelled appearance. His usually silken brown locks were knotted and covered with dust. Dirt clung to his face and clothes and virtually every part of his body.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up."

***~***~Requiem of the Fallen Kings~***~***

"Sir, if I may speak." A red figure spoke in heavily accented Russian. The man next to him nodded. "Why did you let him go so soon? After all the trouble you went through to find him."

"Azazel." The man responded. "All things take time."

Azazel watched with curiosity as his boss, Shaw, took out a seed and knelt down to the dirt. "Now you see, once the seed has been planted-" Shaw dug a small hole in the ground before placing the seed in it, "-it will take guidance and time to make it blossom into a wonderful flower."

With one motion, Shaw covered the hole.

"Or maybe wither into a twisted rose."


End file.
